ARMM food festival income raises over P400,000 for Sulu fire victims

Cotabato City (July 31, 2018) – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is donating all the proceeds from the region’s food festival to the victims of last week’s fire incident in Jolo, Sulu that left about 30,000 residents homeless. The food festival showcased the culinary delights of the Bangsamoro and catered to thousands of visitors. It was held on July 27 and raised over P400,000.

A fire razed about 5,200 homes from barangays Walled City and Busbus in Jolo on July 24. Authorities said the blaze broke out at Brgy. Busbus and immediately spread to the adjacent Walled City.

The ARMM’s Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team that serves as the 24/7 emergency operation center of the region has immediately delivered assistance to 5,200 families who were displaced by the fire incident. About P5-million worth of food, clothes, prayer garments and kitchen essentials were already provided to the victims.

A day after the fire incident, ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman immediately visited the areas and led the distribution of relief assistance. “The regional government is continuously monitoring and providing aid to the victims,” Gov. Hataman said.

Executive Director Amilbahar Mawallil of the Bureau of Public Information who also visited Sulu after the incident said: “From the air, the sight of these razed barangays was heartbreaking. There was almost nothing left. These 30,000 people have lost their homes, and some of these are school-age children.”

He noted that the Tausugs, especially those in Jolo, have had very bad experiences with fire particularly during the infamous Burning of Jolo in 1974. “We survived that calamity, and we will keep working to help these barangays in Jolo survive this one,” he added.

About 400 students who were displaced by the huge fire were given psychological first aid by the ARMM’s Education department while the 1,615 internally displaced persons under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the two affected barangays will receive cash grants from the region’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-ARMM).

As of Monday, the DSWD-ARMM regional and provincial personnel, presidential management staff and Joint Task Force Sulu are streamlining the process in the delivery of cash assistance from the Office of the President.

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